4
Children will be a tight fit on that boat, but probably bearable for a weekend. That is an excellent lake boat, I can step the
mast with a little help from my 12 year old, so you should be able to do the same. It takes about an hour.
I would make a checklist,
1. for supplies, and
safety gear, (assign an older child to insure everyone has a life jacket).
2. For setup, while trying to herd a group of children it is easy to forget something, like a line, or a
shroud, ....or a seacock, or drain
plug.
Finally getting the mast up, and having to lower it again because a
halyard went up with the mast, or two standing lines were mixed, is very frustrating, and tries the patience of small children, (and adults).
A checklist not only helps things get done in order, but gives tasks that can be delegated to the spouse, or older children.
And bring plenty of snacks, and
water. My
kids usually like start to hit the snacks before the boat gets wet!
To avoid large amounts of waste, I would preload the snacks into a large reusable container, instead of individually wrapped serving size snacks. The amount of garbage you collect will quickly fill the boat if you don't.
I've found except in heavy
wind days, raise the sails at the
dock, and just leave the
sheets loose. It is too much trouble to have a crew hold the
helm, while stepping over people to go forward, while you raise them, and inexperienced crew are more trouble than help in wrestling them to the
deck.
I let someone else control the mainsheet line, giving them the challenge of controlling the speed, and the heeling.
With 4 kids, you could put one on each
jib sheet, and tack by calling them by name.
A
bimini is worth gold, the sun beating down in the hot
cockpit gets old, and tiring fast.
I would leash the 4 year old to an adult, (your wife, you'll be busy), and make the
rule everyone wears life jackets, the smaller kid is leashed anytime on
deck.
Have fun, and be safe.
Anchoring in a quiet cove, and swimming in the shallows is one of my families favorite memories.